God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(A) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.^{(B) 20} For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,^(C) so that people are without excuse.^(D)

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(E) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(F) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(G) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over^(H) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.^{(I) 25} They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,^(J) and worshiped and served created things^(K) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.^(L) Amen.^(M)

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(N) to shameful lusts.^(O) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(P) 27} In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.^(Q)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(R) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,^{(S) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(T) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(U) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(V) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(W) of those who practice them.

⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?^(A) Do not be deceived:^(B) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers^(C) nor men who have sex with men^{[a](D) 10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers^(E) will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were.^(F) But you were washed,^(G) you were sanctified,^(H) you were justified^(I) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[a]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(A) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{(B) 11} So Christ himself gave^(C) the apostles,^(D) the prophets,^(E) the evangelists,^(F) the pastors and teachers,^{(G) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(H) may be built up^{(I) 13} until we all reach unity^(J) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(K) and become mature,^(L) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(M)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(N) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(O) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(P) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(Q) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(R) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(S) and builds itself up^(T) in love,^(U) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(V) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(W) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(X) and separated from the life of God^(Y) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(Z) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(AA) they have given themselves over^(AB) to sensuality^(AC) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(AD) your old self,^(AE) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(AF) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(AG) 24} and to put on^(AH) the new self,^(AI) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(AJ)

¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,^{(A) 13} while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,^(B) deceiving and being deceived.^{(C) 14} But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^{(D) 15} and how from infancy^(E) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(F) which are able to make you wise^(G) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed^(H) and is useful for teaching,^(I) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^{(J) 17} so that the servant of God^[a](K) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^(L)

¹¹ For the grace^(A) of God has appeared^(B) that offers salvation to all people.^{(C) 12} It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,^(D) and to live self-controlled,^(E) upright and godly lives^(F) in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing^(G) of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,^{(H) 14} who gave himself for us^(I) to redeem us from all wickedness^(J) and to purify^(K) for himself a people that are his very own,^(L) eager to do what is good.^(M)

1 Simon Peter, a servant^(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,^(B)

To those who through the righteousness^(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ^(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

² Grace and peace be yours in abundance^(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

³ His divine power^(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him^(H) who called us^(I) by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(L)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;^{(M) 6} and to knowledge, self-control;^(N) and to self-control, perseverance;^(O) and to perseverance, godliness;^{(P) 7} and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.^{(Q) 8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive^(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(S) 9} But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,^(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.^(U)

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling^(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,^{(W) 11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom^(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(Y)